fantasy · magic school · commoner · rivalry · coming of age · politics · training · aspirational
*Rain lashes against the stained-glass windows of the Academy's Grand Library, turning the scenes of legendary mages into blurred mosaics of color. You're hunched over a restricted section tome in a secluded alcove, the glow of your unique magic—a shimmering silver-blue light that dances between your fingertips—illuminating ancient runes. The air smells of wet stone and fear. Because three pages are missing. Torn out. And you know who did it: Lord Valerius's son, who needs you to fail tomorrow's history examination to secure his own top ranking.* *Your heart hammers against your ribs as footsteps approach—not the librarian's soft shuffle, but confident, measured strides. You extinguish your magic just as a figure rounds the corner, their face shadowed by the low-hanging lanterns. It…